IOC signs MoU to promote Hydrogen and fuel cell tech for heavy duty e-mobility

To promote hydrogen and fuel cell technology for heavy-duty e-mobility, Indian Oil handed over a hydrogen fuel cell bus to the Indian Army at an event held at the National War Memorial on Monday in Delhi.

During the event, IndianOil also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army to pioneer the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell technology for heavy-duty e-mobility.

The initiative positions Indian Army as a pioneer in evaluating this technology in collaboration with IndianOil to improve future mobility in India.

The handing over and signing ceremony was held in the presence of General Manoj Pande, Chief of Army Staff, S M Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil, and senior officials of IndianOil and the Indian Army.

"The partnership between IndianOil and the Indian Army spans over six decades and is built on an unbreakable bond of trust. I am glad we're now taking this to the next level wherein based on the government's new green hydrogen mission of 2023 the IOC has developed the technology for production of green hydrogen and with the help of Tata Motors" said General Manoj Pande, Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.

The project will assess the performance of fuel cell electric buses for public transit in the demanding climatic conditions of the Delhi NCR region, analyzing the impact of local fuel and air quality on the performance of fuel cell systems and vehicles.

Additionally, it will also evaluate the effectiveness, longevity, and operational reliability of hydrogen fuel cell buses intended for public fleet utilization.

"It is indeed a very momentous day today that a bus which is part of the green hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet will now be operated by the Indian Army. This collaboration with the Indian Army is a landmark step towards a greener and more sustainable future. IndianOil is currently operating 15 fuel cell buses in the Delhi-NCR region accumulating a total mileage of 300,000 kilometers i.e. 20,000 kms on each bus," said S M Vaidya, Chairman, IndianOil.

This initiative marks an important step in the journey towards sustainable transportation, setting a precedent for future collaborations aimed at advancing green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in India.